Ophiotaenia calamensis sp. n. is described from the small intestine of the Chilean leptodactylid frog Telmatobius dankoi. Among its congeners described in South American frogs, O. calamensis most resembles O. ecuadorensis and O. olseni.

A new species of Progoniada is described. This is the third species in the genus and the first known from the Hawaiian Islands. It differs from the two previously known species in having two compound falcigerous chaetae, jaws with 5 teeth in the ventral arc, proboscis papillae of two types, and compound falcigers with blades less than half the length of the spiniger blades. Distribution in Hawaiian waters is from 34 and 70 meters at sewage outfalls and at disposal dump sites off Oahu at 397 and 502 meter depths.

Eunice colombia, a new species collected on the northern Caribbean coast of Colombia at depths of 300 and 500 m in soft bottoms, is described. The shape of the posterior ventral cirri, the position of the branchiae, and their length in relation to that of the notopodial cirri are the main differences from congeneric species.

Tubificoides calvescentis is described from subtidal sediments near a sewage outfall at Sand Island, off Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii. It is characterized by hair chaetae being restricted to preclitellar segments, small atria and spermathecae, and smooth, cylindrical, cuticular penis sheaths. Tubificoides bakeri Brinkhurst, 1985, known from the West coast of North America, appears to be closely related to the new species; its male genitalia are virtually identical to those of T. calvescentis. However, T. bakeri does not possess distinct cuticular papillae, which are evident in T. calvescentis, and it has more numerous chaetae and more slender spermatozeugmata than those of the new species. The paper also provides a nomenclaturally updated list of all marine oligochaetes reported from Hawaii.

Two new species, Diastylis newberryi and Diastyloides pacifica, are described, based on specimens collected off the coast of California. Diastylis newberryi is a problematical species, falling between the definitions of the genera Diastylis Say, 1818 and Leptostylis Sars, 1869, but can be identified by the unique combination of a single pair of lateral setae on the telson, male first antenna not greatly expanded, and male second antenna extending past the pleon. Diastyloides pacifica is the first species of the genus to be collected outside the North Atlantic basin.

Two new genera, Paraholsingerius and Tamaweckelia, and two new species, P. mexicanus and T. apalpa are described from caves in eastern Coahuila and southern Tamaulipas, Mexico, respectively. Holsingerius smaragdinus, previously known from a single cave in Val Verde County, Texas, is placed in the new genus Paraholsingerius, and a second population of P. smaragdinus is recorded from northern Coahuila, Mexico. A new record for Paramexiweckelia in north-central Coahuila is documented.

A new atyid shrimp of the genus Paratya is described from the Ogasawara Islands, Japan. Morphologically, It is closest to P. caledoniensis, from New Caledonia, but can be distinguished by the stouter carpus of the first pereiopod and the form of the telson. The new species is also similar to P. compressa from southern Japan, from which it can be separated by fewer spinules on the dactylus of the fifth pereiopod and the larger egg size carried by ovigerous females.

Two species of atyid shrimps are reported from a cave in western Madagasacar, namely Caridina isaloensis and Caridina steineri, a new species. Morphology of both species is described and illustrated in detail. Morphological comparisons with their allied species from Madagascar are highlighted.

A new species of the previously monotypic xanthid genus Crosnierius Serène & Vadon, 1981 is described from the South China Sea. The species differs from Crosnierius carinatus Serène & Vadon, 1981 in the structure of the anterolateral teeth, ambulatory leg proportions and form of the male first pleopod. Paramedaeus planifrons (Sakai, 1965) is also reported from the South China Sea, the first record of the species outside its type locality of Japan.

A new species of crayfish, Cambarus (Tubericambarus) polychromatus is described from the western Ohio, Indiana, southern and east-central Illinois, western and central Kentucky, southern Michigan, and western Tennessee areas of North America. Of the recognized members of the subgenus, it is most closely related to Cambarus (T.) thomai, found primarily in eastern Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee and western West Virginia. It is easily distinguished from other recognized members of the subgenus by its strongly deflected rostrum and lack of spines overhanging the telson.

A new species that is closely related to Anelpistina weyrauchi (Wygodzinsky, 1959), which is also found in Peru, is described. Both South American species are distinct from North American congeners by the presence of several characters shared with species of the genera Cubacubana and Prosthecina, indicating a probable early division within the Anelpistina clade.

The present paper reports on the occurrence of six species of Cocculinidae and three species of Pseudococculinidae off the Caribbean coast of Colombia. Cocculina messingi McLean & Harasewych, 1995, Cocculina emsoni McLean & Harasewych, 1995 Notocrater houbricki McLean & Harasewych, 1995 and Notocrater youngi McLean & Harasewych, 1995 were not previously known to occur within the of the Caribbean Sea, while Fedikovella beanii (Dall, 1882) had been reported only from the western margins of the Atlantic Ocean, including the lesser Antilles. New data are presented on the external anatomy and radular morphology of Coccocrater portoricensis (Dall & Simpson, 1901) that supports its placement in the genus Coccocrater. Cocculina fenestrata n. sp. (Cocculinidae) and Copulabyssia colombia n. sp. (Pseudococculinidae) are described from the upper continental slope of Caribbean Colombia.

The fish family Bathymasteridae, commonly known as ronquils, is reviewed based on an examination of nearly 500 adult and larval specimens. An identification key based on adults is provided. Information on adult morphology, including a detailed description of the cephalic lateralis system for all members of the family, is included as well as information on the early life history stages of each genus. The family Bathymasteridae is distinguished within the suborder Zoarcoidei by the presence of ctenoid scales; well-developed pelvic bones and pelvic fins; numerous vomerine, palatine, and dentary teeth; and several internal osteological features. The Bathymasteridae includes seven species classified in the genera Ronquilus, Rathbunella, and Bathymaster, and is broadly distributed in the North Pacific, from Baja California to the Sea of Japan. The monotypic genus Ronquilus is found from southern California to the Gulf of Alaska. Rathbunella contains two species restricted to the coasts of California and Baja California. Bathymaster is the most diverse and broadly distributed genus, containing four species ranging from British Columbia around the Pacific Rim to the northern Sea of Japan.

Mitochondrial sequence variation was examined in the northern snakehead, Channa argus (Cantor, 1842), a species of fish native to Asia and recently collected in the eastern United States. There are seven unique haplotypes in 29 specimens studied, with no haplotype shared between areas of introduction. One haplotype was shared by 15 individuals from the Potomac River system (both males and females <480 mm total length), indicating possible breeding within the system. A single large adult male from the Potomac River system has a unique haplotype. All Crofton, Maryland, specimens had one haplotype. Two haplotypes were found in Meadow Lake, FDR Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Unique haplotypes were found in Wheaton, Maryland, and Shrewsbury, Massachusetts. These results support the conclusion that there were several independent introductions of the northern snake-head into these waters, and that no two introductions came from the same maternal source.

The 40 life history, myological, and osteological characters that Tibbetts (1992) used in his study of the hemiramphids are evaluated for both saury genera (Cololabis and Scomberesox) to determine if the Scomberesocidae are more closely related to the Zenarchopteridae, to the needlefishes (Belonidae), or to the halfbeaks (Hemiramphidae) and flyingfishes (Exocoetidae). Data were analyzed using PAUP*, and eight equally parsimonious trees were found (70 steps, CI 0.814, RI 0.938). This analysis indicates that sauries are most closely related to needlefishes, supporting the historical concept of the superfamily Scomberesocoidea as a monophyletic assemblage. A caudal displacement of the origin of the retractor dorsalis muscle is a tentative additional synapomorphy for all four saury species. Zenarchopteridae is strongly supported as a valid family sister to the Scomberesocoidea (decay index = 19, bootstrap = 100). Resolution of the internal structure of the Belonidae and the Hemiramphidae requires the identification of additional characters and examination of a greater number of taxa.

We describe a new species of Cochranella from the Serranía de Huanchaca, Bolivia. The new species possesses a suite of unusual characteristics, most notably dermal glands along its fingers and toes. Cochranella spiculata is reported from Bolivia and we describe the females of that species. New material of C. bejaranoi from Chuquisaca collected during the dry season confirms that spicules develop only during the breeding season in this species. Small round clusters of melanophores appear to be germinal in nature and associated developmentally with spicules in C. bejaranoi.

We describe Lonchophylla orcesi, sp. nov., from the Chocó, a region of high biotic diversity, endemism, and rainfall along the western Andean slopes and Pacific lowlands of Colombia and Ecuador. One of the largest known Lonchophylla, it occurs sympatrically with at least two other species of Lonchophylla including the similar, but somewhat smaller L. robusta. We also recognize L. concava as a Middle American Province species distinct from L. mordax of Brazil and Bolivia on the basis of cranial and dental features.

A new species of Macrotarsomys, M. petteri (Rodentia: Muridae: Nesomyinae), is described based on a single specimen taken during a 2003 biological survey of the Forêt des Mikea in southwestern Madagascar. This is the third species known in this endemic genus, and all are confined to the dry forest formations of western Madagascar. The region where M. petteri occurs is a unique transitional forest habitat that is under considerable threat from human-induced habitat degradation and steps need to be swiftly taken to protect the Forêt des Mikea.

We describe the prehistoric bones of Gallirallus spp. from 14 prehistoric sites on seven islands in the Kingdom of Tonga, South Pacific. Two specimens (tibiotarsi) from Ha'afeva (Ha'apai Group) probably represent an extinct species but are considered to be an inadequate basis for description. Otherwise, all bones from cultural sites (<3000 years old) are referred to the extant G. philippensis, which is widespread in Oceania today. From an older site on ‘Eua Island, we describe a new extinct species, G. vekamatolu. Qualitative osteological characters, as well as multivariate statistical analysis of hind-limb and forelimb measurements, indicate that this new species was flightless. On ‘Eua, G. vekamatolu is the only rail recorded from pre-cultural strata, whereas three extant volant species of rails (G. philippensis, Porzana tabuensis, Porphyrio porphyrio) are recorded from strata that post-date human arrival. Gallirallus vekamatolu is the third flightless species of Gallirallus described from prehistoric sites in tropical Polynesia. It adds to the growing list of Pacific island birds that went extinct after human colonization.